Molly Maguire Auto Tour guides motorists through history

Playing cassette tapes, drivers can see where coal miners struggled.

October 11, 2002|By Terry Ahner Special to The Morning Call -- Freelance

More than 125 years after a series of murders in Pennsylvania's anthracite region and the trial of the band of miners called the Molly Maguires, questions still surround the case.

Thanks to a group of local historical preservationists, residents of and visitors to Carbon and Schuylkill counties now can reach their own conclusions.

The Molly Maguire Auto Tour -- a project of the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and the Schuylkill River Valley National Heritage Area -- was unveiled Thursday at a news conference at the former Tamaqua Train Station.

The tour, which runs through Carbon and Schuylkill counties, includes four cassette tapes packaged in a black case embossed with a gold logo and an accompanying 24-page booklet.

It can take three to eight hours, depending on the number and length of stops, Tamaqua Downtown Manager Linda Yulanavage said.

"This is a major accomplishment for this area," Yulanavage said. "This is a great tool for us for participation and for local people to enjoy."

The tapes direct the listener to sites related to the Molly Maguires in both counties.

The accompanying booklet features rare historic photos of the Mollies and their environment, and a fold-out detailed map of Lansford, Summit Hill, Shenandoah and Tamaqua.

The tour is new, but the Molly Maguires have intrigued the area for decades.

On June 21, 1877, 10 men, convicted largely on the testimony of Pinkerton detective James McParlan, were hanged -- six in Schuylkill County Prison in Pottsville, and four in the Carbon County Jail in Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe).

It remains the largest mass execution in the country.

The debate over whether there ever was a Molly Maguire organization continues to pique the interest of historians and those curious about the area's history.

Over the years, dozens of tours, events, landmarks and books have brought an increasing number of visitors to the region.

Officials said the auto tour has been four years in the making.

The project received assistance from the Schuylkill River Greenway Association, Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau, Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau, Tamaqua Area 2004 Partnership and several state officials.

State Rep. David Argall, R-Schuylkill, said at the news conference that it's important to note the impact one community's foresight can have on others.

He said Tamaqua followed the lead of Jim Thorpe toward revitalization, and "projects like this allow other communities to utilize that same revitalization strategy."

The packet costs $19.95. For more information, call the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau at 1-800-765-7282.